By Dr. Tayo Douglas
Chief Ebenezer Olasupo Aremu Fabiyi, otherwise known as Ebenezer Obey, is an accomplished juju music maestro. Any attempt to exhaustively describe this rare gift of God to humanity may widely be misconstrued as flattery. This is because several contemporary authors and writers have efficiently written enough memorabilia on Ebenezer Obey and his works. It is therefore sufficient for the purpose of this work to submit that Ebenezer Obey is like what Williams Shakespeare writes in one of his plays, “As you like it,” “a good wine that needs no new bush.”
For several decades, Obey has never left his fans and lovers of his music in doubt that apart from the gift of music, he is also a good manager of men and resources. In a nutshell, Obey in modern day parlance could be described as highly fulfilled and contented person. These precursive attributes have led Toyin Falola, a professor of history, to have quoted Ebenezer Obey in his name work as having said that “there are no more rivers to cross. God has been good to me, and because of that, I know he will be good to me until he wants me to leave the world…” see – “The Making of Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi,”
Until recently, not many people could categorically state the reasons why Obey would have to jettison his primary calling and ministry as a fantastic juju musician for an upward of seventeen (17) odd years before staging a walk back. According to one or two of his ex band boys, Obey finally closed shop in 1991 as a result of the pressure which the then leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) mounted on him and with the instruction that Obey should first forsake his primary calling before becoming one of their members.
Under what have since turned out to be antinomy, Obey gave in to the gibberish proceeding from the people who are like those who Christ has described in Matthew 7:3-5 as hypocrites with logs in their eyes but still trying to remove the specs in someone else eyes. Paradoxically, Obey who was once inspired by the provisions of Matthew 25:18 to compose a song on “the danger of burying one’s talent” became a victim of that spiritual remonstrance. Obey had in one of his vinyls warbled – “ma se ri talenti re mole arakunrin, oluwa yio bere lowo re ohun t’ofise” – meaning that one shall one day give account of how he has utilised the talent given to him by God. It is doubtful if Obey had a careful review of this song before throwing away the baby along with the bath water.
Before discussing if it was appropriate for Ebenezer Obey to have withdrawn from what his traducers called “secular music”, it is indeed right to explain what the scripture says on service to God and mankind and the circumstances under which Obey gave in to the thoughts of these men. In Galatians 5:7-8, Paul the Apostle of Christ told the people of diverse backgrounds, professions and learning as follow: “you were running a good race, who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the One who calls you”. In other words, Ebenezer Obey has by the grace of God and through dint of hard-work, attained an enviable standard as far as music world and propagation of God’s gospel are concerned. He has used the so called secular music to transform mankind, preaching the gospel of Christ and above all, he has used this same music to eulogise the talent of God in him. Who then ‘cut in on’ him by keeping him away from the continuous exercise of the grace and gift of God for seventeen (17) odd years?
Not many people are sufficiently deep to understand or appreciate the grace of God in them or the type of grace which they carry. Sadly, many have over times submitted to pleasing some groups of individuals or associations who parade themselves ignorantly as God’s organisations. Having watched how people are falling headlong and in great error to please religious canvassers, individual or group of people or those in authority, Apostle Paul again in Galatians 6:15-17 says in warning that “neither circumcision nor un-circumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule to the Israel of God. From now on, let no one cause me trouble for I bear on my body the mark of Jesus.” What Apostle Paul is exactly saying here in the quoted verses of the Scripture is that he does not have to be a member of any pentecostal fellowship or forsake his primary calling or job before he does the work of God. In all of the orthodox churches of God today, most of their ministers, vicars, canons and reverends have their primary callings. Some are in the banking and finance sectors, oil and gas, legal, medical and other spheres of human endeavours and they function perfectly well as evangelists and Disciples of Christ without losing a strand of their hairs. The Grace of God which has been identified in them is more than sufficient.
Serving God and mankind or evangelism is never about forsaking your job or stop plying your trade as well as burying your God given talent. There are many ways in which one can use his job to evangelise or preach the Gospel of God. The Holy Bible in Romans 12:1-9 states that the true and proper worship and service which God requires from any Christian is to offer his or her body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. It is the contention of the foregoing passage that no matter whom we are and what is our job, we are in one body of Christ with different gifts and grace given to each of us. If therefore our gifts are to prophesy, serve, sing, or lead, etc, we have to do it with our faith and not with the faith or dictates of any group or association, PFN inclusive. In all instances mentioned by Paul in the passage, we are yet to read where the Bible states that because we are “secular doctors, musicians, lawyers, accountants, architects, theatre artists, etc.,” we must abandon our various callings or jobs and align with a group or association before we are qualified or eligible to preach the gospel of Christ or serve the Lord.
It is enough if our jobs, careers, and vocations are deployed to glorify God and nothing more.
Evangelism has moved away from making distinctions or raising comparisons between works that are secular but which are considered good and work done in the course of spiritual calling which is the proclamation of the gospel. There is now a recognition that all works done by any Christian for the proclamation of the gospel of Christ and for service to humanity or mankind are done for God’s glory. See – “Two Types of Work: Work for God and Work for the Kingdom of God” by Peter Orr and also Colossians 3:17.
Several reasons may have accounted for Obey’s belief in these characters’ pejoratives and just like many souls too may have in the past fallen victims. The question then must be asked; why are people easily given to perjoration and eulogistic commands of these religious marketers or hypocrites as Christ would call them? There are two possible reasons identified by this paper. The first is peer pressure of looking for a needless religious identity. The pentecostal group was at a time in this country considered as the original mouth piece of all Christians even far above the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). How the time flies and if only people have known that these bodies or associations are just an assemblage of individuals who are not better or superior to anybody out there. By the way, are these associations not the ones whose members are either involved in one criminal matter or the other? It was even reported not too long ago that one of the leading members of these associations offered his private jet to launder money or engage in illegal shipment of ammunition which another jurisdiction considered a criminal act. We can now see why our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, has used the word “hypocrites” to describe these characters. The second reason which is also identified by this paper is the inability of a man to know or identify the grace of God in him. In John 6:15, it is written that “Jesus knowing they intended to come out and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” A careful reading of this verse will reveal the reason why Christ refused the entreaties of men to be made their king. Jesus is the king of kings and Lord of all. He is the king over the earth surface and beneath. How then would Jesus choose to be a king over a cottage or a court yard?
Socrates, the philosopher, must have several centuries ago reflected on how Christ has identified himself before coming out with the cliché of “Man know thyself”. Aristotle, the Greek metaphysicist, also took the frontier further by stating that “knowing yourself is the beginning of wisdom”. In Pythagoras’ contribution, the mathematician/philosopher writes that “if you know yourself, then you shall know the universe and God”. A man who could be said to have put together the thoughts of these aforementioned philosophers and great men is the American poet and novelist, Charles Bukowski. In his “Book of Essential Quotes on Life, Art and Love,” Bukowski asks as follow – “can you remember who you were before the world told you who you should be?” It is submitted with profound respect, that if Ebenezer Obey has given vent to the questions raised by Bukowski, the tendencies are there that he wouldn’t have caved in to the perjorative words of the hypocrites and religious marketers who have sold him a dummy. Obey is already fortified with a grace which in every respect is stronger and pleasing to God than any of these canvassers. What Obey has done in propagation of God’s gospel with his gift and talent of “secular” music can never be matched by the teachings of these so called “pentecostal pastors” either now or in the world to come. We can now imagine how many businesses, careers, occupations, families or marriages which have been destroyed by these hypocrites and religious marketers through strange indoctrinations and wrongful homiletics.
Although, Ebenezer Obey, like the Yoruba people would say, has since returned to his “esè aãrò” (meaning his primary calling) but the incalculable damages which his absence from the musical world or scene has caused for seventeen (17) odd years are better left imagined. His sudden withdrawal has robbed the society of many great virtues embedded in him and his talent. His compositions on philosophy, moral, social, religions and culture are the very education and services which he has by his absence denied the world. If making Heaven is part of the reasons why Obey had to stop secular music, he should have known that he does not need to drop his musical trade before he would make Heaven. After all, we have all read about a prostitute, Rehab, in Joshua 6:25, whose life was spared from destruction because she hid the men Joshua had sent as spies to Jericho. We have equally read in Luke 23:32-43 about an armed robber, Dismas, who was crucified with Christ and who also made Heaven with him. Between a prostitute, an armed robber and a secular musician, who is more pleasing and acceptable to any reasonable human being? Also, the Good Samaritan as recorded in Luke 10:29-37 saved the life of a man who has been stripped and beaten by robbers. A priest and a Levite have passed by the man without lifting a finger or giving an helping hand. It was the Samaritan who was not even a Christian and who the Jews would like to take in derision for not knowing whom he and his people worship (John 4:22) that helped the armed robbery victim.
By the order of Melchizedek and as Christians, the Holy Bible has given us the assurance that the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind that we have been made priest forever – Psalm 110:4. If Ebenezer Obey is actually a priest in line with this Scripture, it is necessary therefore to examine some of the few works of talent from his early life till 1991 when he gave up his practice. Whoever is familiar with Obeys’ music will surely testify that this great man has never waxed any record without giving the flip side to either propagation of God’s work or praising God Himself. For example, compositions like “Jesu nbo loke gbogbo eniyan e tete yara lati tele” “A kunle atewo, atewo adura o,” “iba fun Eledumare o Baba, a nbe o ni o,” “Gbebe mi Oluwa o.. .. Gbebe mi Jesu Kristi Oba..,” “Oluwa ni Oluso aguntan mi,” “mo ti pinu laiye mi, mo ti pinu, mo ti ba Oluwa soro Eleda mi o pe laiye mi maa se ori ire,” “Igba owuro la wa Oba je ki ale san eni,” “Ori eni ko ma fi iya je ni…..Baba la wa gboju le Olorun Jehova,” “mo tewo mi soke si Oba Eledumare, mo te wo mi soke ki aiye ma se mi,” “ori mi ko ni buru o, eda mi ko ni buru o, ire kaluku o lowo Eleda lo wa,” “eko ila o gbara re lowo obe, werepe gba ara re gba igi oko, boje temi o pelu ara ile mi o, Oba Oluwa la o ma sin o,” “No friend like Jesus” and a host of several others too numerous to mention are what Obey has contributed to the propagation of the Christ Gospel. If the foregoing renditions are what the hypocrites called “secular music”, then one does not need to look too far for who are the destiny changers or who the Yoruba people call “àwon Atunida”.
On moral grounds, for instance, Obey has deployed his music to advise the young ones not to engage in promiscuous lifestyle and avoid sins at all cost. In particular is the composition of “mundia ti ko ba l’oko, elo wa oko fe, boys ti ko ba laya elo wa aya fe, ti oyun ba de o e ye mama se, nitori iwa ika yi o Olorun ko fe.” Also on the ground of raising good children, giving them good upbringing and making of an happy Christian home, compositions like “mura si ise eni, o d’eni o, eto eko to ye kororo fun awon omo wa, o di meji, igbekele ninu Oluwa, o di meta pelu itelorun, o wa di merin. K’Oluwa ko ran wa lowo aya mi aya rere lo je o lodede oko” are renditions that will always remain evergreen as well as propagation of God’s gospel. Obey’s proficient use of the Holy Bible has continued to shape his compositions and hardly is any of his music composed without having its leaning on a Bible passage or verse. Composition like a record waxed in 1969 by Obey – “ala ti aja ba la, inu aja ni ngbe mo gbekele Baba Edumare Olorun mi” and “odale laiye chief Adelakun, ma se gbuye le eni kankan o” are music inspired by Micah 7:5. If the hypocrites and destiny changers are now saying the foregoing compositions are secular music and therefore sinful in their own eyes, then it is either they do not know what the gospel of Christ is all about or they are just being mischievous and greatly not informed.
Chief Ebenezer Obey’s defined moment as a talented musician and special gift of God to mankind came on stream when he composed the following songs –“Ara n’bada owo ko je,” “letter ti Oluwa ba ko, ko si eni ti o le yi pada,” “aimasiko lo n’damu eda o, ayanmo oni kaluku o daju ko ni tase,” “o wa di ile Iwo o, omo ajagun, ajo o ni dun ki odidere ma re Iwo… bi mo ba ti r’omo ajagun oro yi dun momi yeye ooo,” “eni Adewale, ola Adewale… Isale ofin o laiye, se awon lo lode, se awon lo ma tun de isale ofin o esinmi agbaja kese,” “Obun eko wumi lo o, mo fe lo ri Eleganza, obun eko wumi lo o adu Rasaki o,” “Fajemirokun odidimade apabieleta, e je o gbe aiye ….. onitemi o oo e je o gbe aiye Fajemirokun”, “Irin ajo lawa yi o, k’ori gbe wa de ile, Irin ajo lawa yi o Jesu, k’ori gbe wa o de ile,” “akin olugbade ti won mo nimo ko ma yo ku o eee,” “ka to fi eniyan joye laarin ilu onilati je eni rere… iyen lo mu oba Lipede mi o ti o fi omo Abiola je oye Bobagunwa ilu Egba….,” “Asuquo Tony Ani mi, oko Morinlola Tony Ani mi, Tony Ani, Ani ooo Tony” etc. The Bible says in Psalm 127:1 that without the Lord building the house, those who build are doing so in vain. If the Lord has no purpose to serve with these beautiful compositions, would Ebenezer Obey, no matter how hard he has tried, have been able on his own to arrange those evergreen renditions? How many juju musicians have passed through the annals of this country, how many of their works are still relevant, useful, appropriate and evergreen like Obey’s compositions?
Obey is by God’s grace and first and foremost a prominent Yoruba son. Yoruba people have a popular saying and that is; except a man has no cognomen, that is when he would not be bothered or happy if his panegyrics are being rendered in eulogies. Assuming Obey is now being attacked by these quick-to-judge umpires for having composed songs in praises of people and has therefore by the act committed sins; one should be bold enough to draw these people’s attention to the Book of I Samuel 16:16-23. Here the Bible reveals that whenever King Saul is in his element, displaying his feat of madness for having been overwhelmed with evil spirit, a musician, David, is always brought forward to calm Saul’s frayed nerves by playing his harp and singing melodious songs for Saul. The question can now be asked, what has Obey done wrong or differently to what David has done here singing in praises of Saul?
In all, could it have been said that Ebenezer Obey’s abstinence from what destiny changers and hypocrites called “secular and sinful music” for seventeen (17) odd years is wasteful or gross mistakes? If we are to reason as human, we shall definitely be tempted to answer that those are wasteful years which have been grossly influenced by mistakes for the following reasons:
a. Our Lord, Jesus Christ, asked in Luke 6:39 that “can a blind man lead another blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?” Ipso facto, the overwhelming pressure mounted on Obey by these characters is a typical example of this saying of Jesus Christ. Are those who have influenced Obey not the same people who in the past gave orders to their followers to do away with their TV sets, radio and cassette players because keeping those stuffs were considered sinful ? By what means now are these misinformed characters reaching out to their captives and customers when it is the time for payment of tithes, showcasing their “talents” of organised miracles, rendering of blatant and highly pedestrian testimonies, payment of first fruits, sowing seeds and all what not which are considered as strange indoctrinations ?
b. Are they not the same people who told us that polygamy is sinful and when some of them died, scandals upon scandals are revealed that they have kept parallel homes within Abuja metropolis and elsewhere?
c. Are they not the same people who along with their children have been going to various state governors to obtain contract worth billions of naira, using their so called religious influence? What could be more irksome and irreverent than going to antichrist governors to obtain such contract? Is this not a negation of the provisions of Psalm 137:4 which frown on singing the Lord Song in a strange land? May God forgive these “àwon a fi èjè dúdú sí inú tutó funfun jáde”- loosely interpreted in English as irresponsible and chameleon characters.
d. Are they not the same people celebrating birthdays under a very tragic circumstance and within a week when one of their heavy financiers and benefactors died? Who are the musicians that played in the party, are they secular or spiritual musicians? What hypocrisy !
e. Are they not the same people who have told us in the past that all Nigerian leaders are corrupt and politics is dirty and not for good Christians? What then are their members now doing today in politics and why are their members visiting governors of various states to collect money ? Some of them are even contractors who conduct New Year service in some state houses every year with booty to the bargain.
f. Are they not the same people who have placed down their private jets to engage in criminal activities of laundering $10m for illegal arms purchase?
There are many more examples of their criminal activities but for space and time. It is therefore not surprising, when Jesus in Matthew 11:21-22 says “Woe to you Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sack cloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the Day of Judgment than for you”. In similitude, it will be more bearable for all the victims of these wrongful teachings and wrongful indoctrinations than for these destiny changers, destiny destroyers and the “atunida” on the Day of Judgment.
Coming to reasoning under spiritual guidance, one cannot but answer this very question in the negative and that is, Ebenezer Obey has not lost anything for those odd years because Romans 8:28 says, “all things work together for good to those who love the Lord”. It is evident in his works and over the years that Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey loves God and his experiences within and without secular world are lessons for the present generation and the generations to come. Whenever being confronted by any destiny changer, destiny destroyer and any atunida, people, especially our young ones, should always know themselves and not forget to ask the Bukowski questions: “Can you remember who you were before the world told you who you should be?”
Dr. Tayo Douglas, Esq. LLB (Hons) BL; LLM; Ph.D
Email: papatee19@gmail.com
Phone: +234-8033600286
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